The Lantern Festival is held annually to mark the last day of the lunar New Year celebration in Chinese traditions. It typically falls in February or March. The festival dates back more than 2000 years, and is still recognized today in many areas throughout the world. Families and communities gather to enjoy special holiday meals and light colorful lanterns as a way to celebrate a new beginning. The lanterns are often red to indicate good fortune, and may be inscribed with puzzles or riddles to solve.

In the United States, Lantern Fests are a popular celebration during which thousands of attendees release lanterns into the night. Each lantern is carried aloft by heated air and falls to earth when its fuel cell is depleted. Unlike the traditional Chinese celebration on which these parties are based, Lantern Fest events are held throughout the year in dozens of cities across the U.S. including Reno, Nevada, and Colorado Springs, Colorado. The festivities include lantern decorating, dancing, and S'mores roasting. The event culminates with a mass release of lanterns into the night sky.